Hi,

I need to figure out how the hell to get magnets to activate.  I load up a magnet to the hair figure, position it and then it just doesn't do anything.  I move the zone, the base, the magnet and it just moves, doesn't move or deform the mesh of the object it's been loaded too.  Is there something I'm not understanding here.  It's quite maddening when you expect something to just work and you have to jump through hoops and bother folks with inane questions like this.  Sorry for my ignorance

Richard

hi rich!

maybe you have applied the mag to the wrong actor. the geometry of conforming hair often comes with a single group: neck - leaving the other actors as "ghosts". did you try selecting actor neck before creating the mag?

Andi

I'm trying to get Jason hair to fit Apollo.  I thought if I were to select the scalp and load the magnet from that point I would have control over getting the fit going in a positive direction.  I tried loading it to the body of the hair and it loads way down at Apollo's feet.  So that was not what I wanted. 

I need controls added to the neck, top of the head and the sideburns to get a fit that's going to look good.  David designed Jason hair with extra geometry to create mutton chops, which I like lots (for Wolverine type characters it's a good idea, so maybe even a couple of magnets in this area.  Then I don't know how to create a magnet to affect both sides evenly or maybe there's a script that will create a mirrored magnet?? 

Truth be told I hate magnets, they are NOT my friend and I'm only doing this because David is busy and I hate bothering him with this.  He hasn't forgotten but just doesn't have the time right now.....

Please see the image provided and see the areas that I will need to adjust in order to get it fitted. 

Thanks for your help

Richard

Sorry, the hair type is a figure.  Not a prop nor dynamic hair. 

Choose that part of the hair figure that contains the scalp - it can be the head or the neck part (usually the neck part), then create a magnet. Michal 4blueyes

Try also to choose the very esact thing that you want to add a magnet too, not from the parts list but in the very preview window. and yes, there is a script for mirroring the magnets, it is not perfect but works well: lesbentley's MirrorMags script here - http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/index.php?user_id=46572 Hope this helps :) Michal 4blueyes

As has beeen said, you should to select an actor that contains geometry. Selecting the hair from the document window, using the cursor should ensure this. If more than one actor contains geometry, you can use "Add element to deforme" from the Mags Properties to add the influence of the magnet to more actors. One thing that will stop a magnet from affecting an element is if that element has "Bend" turned off. So check in the hair's Properties for the actor[s] that contains the geometry to make sure that Bend is turned on. P.S. MirrorMags is not a Python script, it's just two magnets and a prop, with some ERC to controle the magnets in a symetrical way. There are some Python scripts to mirror magnets, I think there is one in PhilC's Poser Tool Box, and I also seem to remember seeing a free one somewhere (try asking in the Python forum).

Thanks for the link Michal!  I did just that and the magnet just didn't do anything so I'm not sure what's up.  Maybe in this last update for Poser is affected things?  I think Gareee said there was a reason why he rolled back to a previous update as this one was flawed in some way that prevented him from doing something.... can't remember what it was though.....

Okay, I'll do that. I don't have time today to fiddle but maybe tomorrow..... I'll check to see if 'bend' was turned off for some reason..... it's quite strange.  Most of my other attempts with magnets might have been not so good but at least they worked!  

Boy I love magnets!

1.)  Make sure you have the Part of the Figure that you want to Deform Selected, when you clcik Object > Create Magnet.

2.)  The 3 parts to the new Magnet Set are now listed in the Props list for the Figure or Prop.

3.)  Select the Zone.

4.)  Goto Display > Element Style > Wireframe!(That was the really hard part nobody tells you!?)

5.)  Now open the Paramaters Palette.

6.)  Move the wirefram to intersect with the area you want to Deform.

7)  Select the Magnet part of the Magnet Set.

8)  As you alter the Parameters of the Magnet(Away from the Base)  the geometry within the Zone will be effected likewise.

That 20 second shpeel only took me 3 years to figure out!

:tt2: 

Quote - P.S. MirrorMags is not a Python script, it's just two magnets and a prop, with some ERC to controle the magnets in a symetrical way. There are some Python scripts to mirror magnets, I think there is one in PhilC's Poser Tool Box, and I also seem to remember seeing a free one somewhere (try asking in the Python forum).

oops, sorry, wrong link then O_o ... now where did I get it from then?...

Quote - Thanks for the link Michal!  I did just that and the magnet just didn't do anything so I'm not sure what's up.  Maybe in this last update for Poser is affected things?  I think Gareee said there was a reason why he rolled back to a previous update as this one was flawed in some way that prevented him from doing something.... can't remember what it was though.....

So I am not the only one who thinks that SR4 is um weird? :lol: They seem to have broken ClothRoom too. Michal 4blueyes

Thank Angel, I will for sure give this a try.  With something so clearly spelled out I think I'm actually excited to try it now. 

Richard

Well, RAMWolf, how did you make out?
:blushing:

BM

Next to understanding more than one level of nodes in the material room, magnets are my bane.  My resolution for 2007 is to gain a deeper understanding, or at least working knowledge of both. 

I gave up! 

David knows I would like a fit for Apollo and he will either do it or he won't.  If I get things figured out in DAZ Studio and with all the new scripts being developed and released by DeltaX15 (like InjRemExport & Morph to Cr2 and under consideration, SpawnTarget) I may be able to work with the DForm magnet system and get my work done without having to go into Poser at all any more!

DId you manage to get the Zone into Wireframe?

Honestly, no, I got busy and then it David mentioned that he hadn't forgotten but was busy but.....   I've got like 3 projects going on right now and working full time and trying to have a life. So when I get some more idle time I may revisit this project if David hasn't come through by then. 

I have your little tut copied and saved to my desktop.  Thanks for your help Angel!

Richard ;-)~

**Angelouscuitry, as usual your advice is perfect.  I just ran a search for magnet tutorials because I've finally become frustrated enough with converting very short hair between figures to try and overcome my fear of magnets.  Your simple advice about changing the element display style to wireframe made all the difference.  I was playing with magnets within a few seconds.

Bless you!  :D
**

I do have one question - what's the final step after you get the magnets to do what you want them to?  For ex., I just fixed a hair prop and now I've got these magnets that insist on showing themselves whenever I select the hair - how do I get rid of them but keep the changes to the hair?  Does it have something to do with "add element to deform"?

There are two answers.  The technical answer is to; Spawn a Morph Target, delete the magnet,  return all other morphs to a value of "Zero," and then set the new morph to a value of "1."  This really follows the premise that there were no other morphs "On" when you created the magnet, though.  That is how magnets are supposed to be created, as a Deformer to the original shape of a mesh(Without any other Magnets, or morphs, active.)  Obviously, though, you need'nt be at that point when you do create a magnet...

Anyhow, I do'nt always like Consolidating all of my Morphs, and Magnets, into one dial.  Hence the reason I leave magnets alone once I'm done creating;  although I do run into the same problem you are having.  To answer your question, click:

Display > Deformers > Hide All.

This should be a permanent toggle, but each time you select a new body part, with magnets, you need to repeat the step.

Add Element to Deform is there because you only Create a Magnet from particular a single/particular Figure Part; hence that magnet will only effect the Part it was created with.  If your Magnet Zone is actually large enough to touch other Parts, that you would also like it to effect, then you need to add those parts to the Magnet Set(From there at the Properties of the Magnet Zone.)

Thanks Angel.